“I Lovell you!” Jones denies feud and answers critics

My story about challenges to council incumbents drew some post-pub responses from Sue Lovell and Jolanda Jones, the principle subjects of the story.

City of Houston

City Councilwomen Sue Lovell and Jolanda Jones.

Lovell didn’t like the story’s focus on her political break-up with Jones, and the fact that the story didn’t list more of her accomplishments. Some of those, like her recent role in getting a new city health clinic opened in Acres Homes, were cut for space. Here is her website if you want to read more about what she’s done.

I couldn’t reach Jones while I was reporting, but she called me the next day to respond to some of her opponents’ claims that she is arrogant and difficult to work with on council.

“Over 98 percent of the time I vote with my mayor or my colleagues,” Jones said, then adding: “I really don’t believe my role on council is to always agree. Constituents ask me to do things as best as I can, and I try to carry the ball for them.”

Jones said that since she can handle controversy, council colleagues approach her behind the scenes and ask her to “tag” controversial measures so they don’t have to, on the record.

“I understand when you try to do the right thing, and not always maintain the status quo, you become a target. That’s fine, I’m a big girl,” Jones said.

Criticism about her tenure is based on “style not substance,” Jones told me. “I think it’s really sad that if you disagree two percent of the time that that makes you – I think one of the words was ‘combative.’ I think that’s absurd.”

Clearly, Jones is comfortable with her role as a feisty fighter and makes no apologies for her first two years.

Jones also denied that she encouraged Roslyn “Rozzy” Shorter, an Obama campaigner, to run against Lovell.